HAVING SET A club record 11 straight league wins at Oriel Park last night, Dundalk turn their attention back to Europe this week.
The Lilywhites claimed a 2-0 win over Bohemians thanks to goals from Sean Hoare and the league’s top scorer Patrick Hoban — ensuring Stephen Kenny’s side maintain a one-point advantage over Cork City at the top of the Premier Division with a game less played.
“It’s never easy coming off the Thursday games,” Kenny said after the final whistle. “The difference of having, say, four days recovery is huge. If you have a four-day recovery, you can reach higher levels.
“Bohemians had a good win last week so they were always going to put it up to us. There’s no doubt we made mistakes on the night but the players showed a determination to win and we created quite a few chances so it was a good win.
“Psychologically, coming off the big European game, the intensity, the support and you get yourself up so high for those games. Although it was a good atmosphere tonight, it’s not the same so it was important psychologically to adapt.
“It wasn’t a perfect performance, but we always looked like winning the game and thankfully we did.”
Dundalk were held to a 0-0 draw in their Europa League second qualifying round first leg at home to Larnaca last Thursday and they head to Cyrpus for Thursday’s return fixture hoping to earn the chance to meet the loser of Ajax or SK Sturm Graz.
“They’re a very good side,” Kenny said of their latest opponents. “The midfield three of [Jorge] Larena [Hector] Hevel and [Ivan] Trickovski are a good, balanced three. Larena is sitting and passing, Hevel is quick and gets over the ground and Trickovski is a goal threat in and around the box.
“Looking at the game back again, we were disappointed not to win it because the teams were evenly-matched and we had the majority of the chances. Obviously, they will be delighted with the draw and they will start as favourites because they’re at home and they will be expected to win in Cyprus.
From our point of view, we know what’s happened in the 0-0 so we’ve got to try to score, and if we do they need two.
“They’re a very good team and it will be a real challenge for us to go out there and get a result, but there is no reason to believe that we can’t. We must believe in ourselves and strive to do that.”
Patrick McEleney has made two substitute appearances since returning to the club from Oldham Athletic this month, and is contention to be involved again as he looks to rediscover the form he showed during his first spell at Dundalk.
“He’s shown the right application,” Kenny said of the Derry native. “Where he was starting from is mid-season. I think he needed pre-season but we couldn’t do that so he’s coming in and he had to adapt.
He will be all the better for getting the two run-outs that he has had. He is a terrific talent. The injuries took their toll on him when he was away, so it’s a matter of getting back up to speed.”
Hungarian attacker Krisztian Adorjan has gone back to parent club Novara after his loan spell with the Louth side ended, and although Kenny would like to sign him on a permanent deal, it remains up the in the air.
“He has to return to Italy on Monday and see what exactly is happening,” he added. “I don’t know, we will have to see how that goes.”
- Reporting from Caoimhin O’Reilly
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